Piano-action.



A. D. DIMIGK.

PIANO ACTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1909.

Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

EIt

A a/Mo AUGUSTU$ B. DIE-KICK, 0? WAKEFIELD, I L-IASSiWHUSETTS.

PIANQ-AC TIGN.

933, 02st. Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed February 24, 1909, Serial N 0. $79,729.

Serial No To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, AUGUSTUS D. DHHCK, of ll aketield, county ofMiddlesex, and State oi M. ssachineetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Pianoukctions; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear. and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to piano actions, and more particularly to theactions of upright pianos such as illustrated in my application, SerialNo. lTSfl'J), filed February Eat, 1909, of which this application is adivision.

in the s andard actions of upright pianos it has heretofore been customato connect each \vippen or jack-bed with the hammerbutt by means of abridle sirap or tape, some times called a martingale, said strap or tapebeing usually glued at one end to the hamnier-butt and attached theopposite end to the eye or pig-tail of the bridle wire. This arrangementinvolves much careful manipulation in the construction of the pianoaction, and moreover bridle straps or tapes deterioate quickly andrequire frequent renewal. Furthermore, the location of the bridle wireon the jack-bed renders said wire particu larly susceptible to lateraldislocation, so that it interferes with the adjacent parts of the actionand produce. annoying noises, at times preventinp the proper operationof the action. ri ain, when one or more of the bridle straps breaks, andthe corresponding key or keys are removed, the entire connectin;mechanism between each rev and the corresponding hann er-butt drops downso that the upper end of the jack is moved out of proper cooperativeengagement with the hammer-butt and usually falls against thehannner-tlangc. ll' hen this happens, it is necessary to fish the jackout of its fallen position with a wire or other instrument in order torestore it to its proper posit-ion.

The object of the present invention is to obviate these drawbacks and toprovide a piano action having means which prevent the displacement ofthe jacks wh n the corresponding keys are removed, and which insure in adirect and positive manner the proper positioning of the jack at alltimes. The means referred to takes the form of simple device such as aspoon applied directly to the wippen or jack-bed and coact- DP \2 areiterated r? 3r, loco.

Divided and this application filed Hay 17, 1909. 196,46

ing with the abstract in such a way as to prevent the jack-bed or wippenfrom falling down too for when the key is removed and causing thedisplacement of the jack with respect to the hammer-butt.

in the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a transverse vertical sectionthrough a piano action constructed in accordance with the invention, and2 is a detail view showing the position of the parts when the key isremoved.

The main parts of the piano action illustrated in the drawing are of theusual construction. The key 1 coacts in the usual manner with thebalance rail 3 of the key frame 2, and cooperates with the usualabstract l supported from the abstract rail The abstract is pivoted tothe usual wippen or jack-bed 6 which is pivotally supported from themain action rail 7. The hammer, which. comprises the head 8, the stem orshank 9 and the butt 10, is pivoted by means oi the ordinary flange 11to the main action rail, and the hammer normally rests upon thecustomary hammer-rail 12. The hammer is actuated by the jack 1 which ispivotally supported on the wippen 6 and abuts at its upper end againstthe hammer-butt 10. The dampers 1% are provided with shanks 15 by whichthey are pivotally supported on the main action rail 7, ant. each damperis operated and controlled in any suitable manner. The 'sostcnutomechanism illustrated in the drawing is of the type described in myprior application hereinbet'ore mentioned, and comprises a rockingclutch adapted to engage and retract spring lingers that are connectedto the damper overs, said clutch being operated by a suitable pedal rod.

The invention consists in placing upon each wippen or jack-bed (i asmall spoon 16 which is attached to the under surface of the wippen atapoint slightly in advance iii vent the wippen from dropping down andtaking a position lower than that shown. in Fig. 2.

It will be understood that the abstract t is maintained by itsconnections in upright position when the key is removed, as shown inFig. 2, and therefore the abutment of.

the spoon or finger against the abstract will hold the wippen up in theposition indicated. regardless of whether or not the corresponding keyis in position in the action. This manner of supporting the wippenresults in holding up the jack in cooperation with the hammer-butt, aswill be understood, and the jack will consequently not be permitted tofall down against the hammer-flange when the corresponding key isremoved. The jack will therefore be maintained in cooperation with thehammer-butt at all times, and the fishing out of the jack away from thehammer-flange which necessitated by the customary arrangementhereinhefore indicated, is entirely obviated.

It will be obvious that the abutment between the wippen and the abstractmay be varied in form and arrangement without departing from the scopeof the invention.

lVhat I claim is 1. 1n a piano action, the combination with a pivotedhammer, a pivoted wippen, an abstract, and a jack on the wippen coactingwith the butt of the hammer, of means in terposed between the wippen andthe abstract to prevent the dropping of the jack I below a predeterminedposition.

2. In a piano action, the combination with a key, an abstract restingthereon, a wippen pivoted to the abstract, a pivoted hammer,

and a jack on the wippen coacting with the butt of the hammer, of meansinterposed be- .7

the wippen, of an abutment carried by the wippen and eoacting with theabstract.

4:. in a piano action, the combination of a hammer having a butt, apivoted wippen, a jack pivotally supported on the upper face of thewippen and engaging the hainnier butt, an abstract pivoted to the wippenat the lower part of the latter, and a spoon depending from the lowerportion of the wippen and adapted to abut at its free end against theabstract.

In a piano action, the combination with a pivoted. hammer, a pivotedwippen, a jack supported on the wippen and coacting with the butt of thehammer, and an abstract pivoted to the wippen at the lower part of thelatter, of a spoon depending from the 'ip pen and extending at its freeend into close proximity to the abstract at the front surface of thelatter when the abstract is in its lowermost position.

In testimony whe "eof I affix my sigmtture, in presence of twowitnesses.

AUGUSTUS D. DEIKHCK. l l itnesses FRANK M. DDIICK, FRANK E. DIMICK.

